Download the entire 32 page Christmas Activity & Coloring Pages today. Available year-round in my Etsy shop. SHOP NOW I have been dreaming of this project for several years and I finally made time for myself to create a fun activity book and coloring pages for Christmas. I designed all of the artwork and pages on my iPad using an Apple Pencil (think digital sketchbook and pencil). Who this was designed for: Parents to keep their kids entertained over the holiday break or while quarantining at home. Teachers to use in their classrooms for holiday parties.Scouts & clubs to use with their students around the holidays.Adults to use to unwind from a busy day. Some of the pages are simple designs. There are a few "finish this" style designs where you or your child and finish drawing the character, decorate the Christmas tree, or design the perfect gingerbread person. Others are a little more time consuming collages of different design elements that will take longer to ... [ Read More ]
Busch Gardens Tampa Christmas Town 2020
Yes, we did our first theme park during the pandemic and it was safe and enjoyable. Busch Gardens Tampa Christmas Town is a beautiful experience running through January 3, 2021. Safety first. Let's chat about the safety of the park and how they are helping their guests and staff stay healthy. Advance tickets: You'll need to grab your tickets in advance because they are limiting their park capacity this year. Parking & Tram: I would recommend walking into the park instead of taking the tram. That was the only part of the day that didn't feel socially distanced. Temp check & masks! Before you can enter the park everyone walks through a thermal tent that checks for temperatures. Don't forget your mask because they are required throughout the entire park at all times (unless you're eating). It was nice that the employees monitored the masks and kindly requested guests to keep them over their mouth and nose. Animals! Walking through the park felt open and ... [ Read More ]
Tips for Using Google Classroom for Girl Scouts
As we navigate the new school year under COVID conditions, we also navigate new ways to connect and engage our girls in Girl Scouts. I love technology, there's so much that it can do to help us connect better, but I know that it's not everyone's strength. I hope that this guide will help you navigate Google Classroom to keep your Girl Scout troop organized this year. Why Google Classroom? It's easy and everything I already do is in the Google platform. Gmail, Docs, Forms, Files, you name it. It all connects seamlessly and using your Gmail address; no duplicate accounts or logins needed. Yes, that means you need a Gmail email account set up. Most of my parents and girls already have Gmail so this part was easy for us. Don't have a Gmail account yet? Get started here: Set Up a Gmail Account I have a Gmail account, how do I set up Google Classroom? You can do this from a Desktop, Tablet, or Smartphone. From Desktop: From Phone or Tablet, you can download a Google ... [ Read More ]
10 Earth Friendly Raw Ingredients Every DIY-er Needs
I have fallen in love with making my own everything! Seriously, if there's a recipe for it online I'm going to try to make it. Soap, lip balm, whipped body lotion, candles, toner, scented cleaning vinegar, deodorant, and the list goes on and on and on! I've always had fun making new things but since I've started working for The Refillery my interest in the DIY recipes has blossomed! Then a few months ago I was introduced to Simply Earth, an essential oil subscription box that comes complete with recipe cards!! Could it get any better? The only downfall to weekend DIY-fests is running out of or not having the right ingredients. That's what lead me to make this complete list of raw ingredients every DIYer needs at all times. I'll share my favorite places to shop below also if you're looking to add any of these ingredients to your DIY closet. Links in this post contain referral links that help support this blog. Coconut Oil - 100% pure unrefined cold pressed coconut oil! ... [ Read More ]
Glycerine Soap & Essential Oils
This month's Simply Earth Essential Oil Recipe Box just arrived and it's SO.MUCH.FUN! Each month Simply Earth sends subscribers a set of essential oils, recipes cards, and fun accessory items to make the recipes. As an ambassador they are so sweet to send me a complimentary box to share the recipes and contents with you. In the process, I have fallen in love with essential oils! This month's theme is soap making! Inside the box are 3 full size essential oils, a smaller essential oil, aloe glycerine soap base, and a silicone soap mold. Plus six recipe cards!! If you use coupon code BACKTOCALLEYFREE you’ll get a bonus $40 gift certificate when you subscribe to their monthly subscription box. To learn more: http://bit.ly/2XfM77e (referral link) My favorite recipe this month is the Happy Joy Facial Soap. It was super simply and only took a few minutes to make a fancy bar of homemade soap! Happy Joy Facial Soap: 1.5 oz Glycerine Soap Base6 drops of Happy Joy ... [ Read More ]
Simply Earth August Unboxing *Spoilers*
I just received my August (2019) Simply Earth Essential Oil Recipe Box and wanted to reveal the goodies inside! As a member of their Squad ambassador team Simply Earth sent me the box for free AND they have provided me with a coupon code for you! If you use coupon code BACKTOCALLEYFREE you’ll get a bonus $40 gift certificate when you subscribe to their monthly subscription box. To learn more: http://bit.ly/2XfM77e (referral link) I'm learning more and more about Essential Oils and how to safely use them thanks to their fun subscription box and website. They even have a FREE ebook; Essential Oils for Beginners, that is packed full of useful information, dilution guides, and tips for using essential oils with children and pets. It's such a great resource. Want to see what's in the August Essential Oil Recipe Box by Simply Earth?? Inside the August Recipe Box you'll find: -Clear Skin Essential Oils Blend-Frankincense Essential Oils-Rosemary Essential Oils-Clove ... [ Read More ]
Natural Slime Recipe with Psyllium Husk Powder
Post contains affiliate links. A few weeks ago I received a new essential oil subscription box from Simply Earth AND their bonus box. They asked me to join their #squad and share my experiences with you about their program. I've owned several different essential oils over the years but I've never gotten into all the brand oil clubs. Honestly, I'm just now starting to learn how to safely use these oils and incorporate them into some fun DIY recipes around the house. If you'd like to see what's included in the Simply Earth Essential Oil Recipe Box (and big bonus box) click over using this referral link: http://bit.ly/2XfM77e. If you use coupon code BACKTOCALLEYFREE you'll get a bonus $20 gift certificate! If your kids love making slime like my kids do, they will LOVE this recipe! This recipe does require heating the ingredients so make sure a parent helps and make sure you let this cool down for at least 20 minutes before letting your kids play with it. It gets very hot!! ... [ Read More ]
My Creativity This Week – Episode 1: Funky Florals
Are you a creative person? Do you struggle with finding your inner creative spirit? Sit there staring at the blank canvas or journal page wondering what you'll work on next? This series is something new to me where I'll share what I'm working on this week. I feel like my creative spirit is ALL.OVER.THE.PLACE and I'm always trying something new each week. That doesn't have to be a bad thing because it's broadening your inner creativity. This week I've been working on Funky Florals. One of my favorite Instagram creatives to follow is Megan (@MakeWells) and her awesome Funky Florals. I love the bright colors and the use of mixed media in her work. I love that she works on canvas, paper, wood, walls, and more! She is seriously inspiring to follow. View this post on Instagram I’m thoroughly convinced that I will never run out of ways to paint flowers. The possibilities are just endless people! I may have a ... [ Read More ]
Give the Gift of Awesome Photos
I am a "Picture Play" affiliate and earn a commission when you order through my links in this post. Have you ever wanted to take better pictures with your iPhone or Android? Did you know that there are a few free or low cost (like less than $5) apps that can make your regular iPhone pictures 10X better? It's possible with some of the tips that Jill Krause (and Happy Loud Life) shares in her new Picture Play ebook. I have a fancy DSLR that I bought a few years ago and kinda learned how to use, but it's so big and bulky that I never take it with me. I'm really happy with the overall quality of photos from my iPhone 8+ but it doesn't always take perfect photos. Sometimes they are too dark, or too light, or there are things in the background that are distracting. This is one of the photos I took a few years ago with my DSLR. It showed up in my memories this week so I thought I'd try to edit it again using the tricks in Picture Play. Look closely behind her head, in the new version I ... [ Read More ]
Under the Sea Coloring Pages
Color with me!! I've created a new set of coloring pages full of some of my favorite sea life characters. This is a set that I've been working on for months and I'm so excited about how it turned out!! PS: The whale sharks are my absolute favorite. The set includes 7 different pages that you can print from home on 8.5" x 11" paper. The great thing is that you can print the files over and over again anytime you like! Do you enjoy coloring? Do your kids? Do you color in your classroom or when you have spare time in clubs? I use these mostly in the evenings when I want to force myself to put my phone down and do something creative with my kids. My daughter is my little artist and loves to color and create so it's the perfect activity for the two of us. We don't get many evenings when we're not bombarded with homework, sports, or clubs. Here's a sample of the pages that you'll get in the download: ... [ Read More ]